How to pack a pallet for freight so it arrives the way it left.

Most freight damage happens before the truck moves: a pallet packed with the heavy cartons on top, an overhang that catches the next pallet, wrap that holds the cartons to each other but not to the pallet. Ten minutes of packing saves the claim and sometimes a pallet position.

Quote a lane How many pallets fit on a truck?

Or call Jayden on 0494 820 639, 7am to 5pm weekdays.

Quick answer

How do I pack a pallet for freight?

To pack a pallet for freight so it arrives the way it left: a sound pallet, the heaviest cartons in the bottom layer, layers interlocked and flat, nothing past the 1165 by 1165 edge, under 1.4 metres high so it is one position, stretch wrap started around the bearers and finished at the top so the load and the pallet move as one, corner boards on soft or tall stacks, strapping for heavy product and export, and the label on two adjacent sides outside the wrap. Put the weight on the booking.

The rules

How do I pack a pallet properly?

01Start with a sound palletGrade A or B, every board present, no cracked bearer. A one way pallet for an outbound that stays with the customer; never a pallet that rocks on the floor. The grades.
02Heavy at the bottom, flat on topHeaviest cartons in the first layer, lighter above, and each layer flat so the next one sits square. Interlock the layers like brickwork rather than stacking columns.
03Nothing over the edgeAn overhang gets crushed by the pallet beside it and it can count as two positions on the truck. Keep every carton inside the 1165 by 1165 footprint.
04Under 1.4 metres highA standard pallet up to 1.4 m high is one position on our lanes; taller may count as two and will not fit under some decks. Keep it low and wide rather than tall and narrow.
05Wrap to the pallet, not just the cartonsStart the stretch wrap around the pallet's bearers, work up with a good overlap, and finish at the top. Wrap that holds the cartons together but not to the pallet lets the whole load slide off as one piece.
06Corner boards and strappingCorner boards on soft cartons and anything stacked high, strapping for heavy or dense product and for export. Corner boards also stop the wrap cutting into the cartons.
07Label two sidesThe consignment label on two adjacent sides, on the outside of the wrap, with the delivery address and the count of pallets in the consignment (1 of 3). Fragile and this way up where they are true.

Weight

How heavy can a packed pallet be?

Within the truck's payload and the receiver's forklift. On a 2 tonne truck the payload is 1,900 kg across four positions, 475 kg a position before the pallet's own 30 to 45 kg; a tail lift takes 1,000 to 1,250 kg; a semi carries 24,000 kg across 22 positions. Dense product hits the weight limit long before the floor is full, and freight is charged on weight or space, whichever runs out first. Pallets per truck has the payload by vehicle and pallet weight has the pallet's own share.

Put the weight on the label if you know it, and tell us the weight when you quote. A pallet that is heavier than the booking says is the one that ends up on the wrong truck.

Limit	Figure	Why
Footprint	Inside 1165 x 1165 mm	An overhang is crushed by the pallet beside it and can count as two positions
Height	Under 1.4 m for one position	Taller may count as two and will not fit under some decks
Weight on a 2 tonne truck	1,900 kg payload across four positions, 475 kg a position	Before the pallet's own 30 to 45 kg
Weight on a tail lift	1,000 to 1,250 kg a pallet	The lift, not the truck, is the limit on a tailgate delivery
Weight on a semi	24,000 kg across 22 positions	Dense product hits the weight limit before the floor is full
Export	Heat treated ISPM 15 timber or plastic, strapped, container door height	So the timber clears quarantine and the load survives the container

Export

What changes for an export pallet?

The pallet itself: heat treated and ISPM 15 stamped timber, or plastic, so the timber clears quarantine at the other end. Strapping as well as wrap, because a container moves differently to a truck, and a height that fits the container door. Labels in the importer's format, and the stamp visible through the wrap or left uncovered. Export pallets and plastic or timber cover the choice.

Getting a number

Packed right, it prices right.

Put the pallet count, the height and the weight into the quote tool and both the shared and dedicated prices come back together. A pallet inside the footprint and under 1.4 m is one position; say if any are taller or heavier.

Quote a lane How many pallets fit on a truck?

Questions about packing pallets

How high can I stack a pallet for freight?

Up to 1.4 metres is one position on our lanes. Taller may count as two positions and will not fit under some truck decks or a container door. Keep the load low and wide.

Does overhang matter?

Yes. Cartons past the pallet's edge get crushed by the next pallet and can make the pallet count as two positions. Everything stays inside the 1165 by 1165 footprint.

How much stretch wrap should I use?

Enough that the load and the pallet move as one piece: start around the bearers, overlap each turn by half, and finish at the top. If you can lift a corner carton out, it needs more wrap.

Do I need corner boards?

On soft cartons, on anything stacked above a metre, and on anything strapped. They spread the strap and wrap load and keep the stack square.

Where does the label go?

On two adjacent sides, on the outside of the wrap, with the delivery address and the pallet count in the consignment. A label under the wrap cannot be scanned and a label on one side is hidden half the time.

Which pallet should I use for a one way delivery?

A one way or grade C pallet for a customer who does not return pallets, a grade A or B for anything coming back or going into racking at the other end. The grades page has the scale.

Prefer to talk? Call Jayden on 0494 820 639. How a pallet is measured and charged on a lane is on the pallet delivery cost page.

Call 0494 820 639 Get a price